Fertilizer-distributing machine



5A. w. KOCH FETILIZER DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Feb.24, 1925 Fig. 4.

20 mg action,

UNlTED 'sr-Aras' VPxraar OFFICE@- nueusrwrrnnnuxocn, or HANovEn-xLEErELn, cimnmilanr.

mTILIZEB-DISTRIB-UTING MACHINE.

l' Appucauon and ren-nary 24, 1525, serial ne. 11,294, ana'criminallyl March 1, 1924.

This, invention refers broadly tofertilizer strewing and distributing machines, and it is one` of the main objects of my invention to make provision for a veryth'orough comminution and an'increased uniformity of distribution of the fertilizing material, and with these and other objects in view means are rovided in connection with theordinary disc arging rollersv to so arrange the distance and the speed ofisaid rollers that the ordinarily somewhat moist and sticky material is immediately'disintegrated and lacerated by a judicious differentiation, of the speed of the rollers, so as to prevent condensingxand caking action otherwise caused by such discharging rollers.v With these ends in view my invention also provides disintegrating knives or thek likehaving a peculiar laning, while at thesame time comminutcombined with' means of preventingthe retaining andadhesion'of .the partic es produced. l l r As regards the rollers mounted at the discharge end of the machine, andcomprising 2 the usual combination of discharging roller proper, counterroller and strewing -or distributing rollerv the two rollers last lmen-A tioned are disposed laterally of the discharge roller and at such distances from each other '30 that the material ejected bythe, slowly rotating discharge and counterrollers is caused to drop onto the longitudinal; ribs or pro-A jections (of the preferably more quickly. rotated strewing or .distributing roller Jbelow thesame, and usually partly surrounded by a trough, means being provided of crushing, comnnnuting andI triturating by the action of. the ribs both the fertilizer withinreach of the distributing or strewing roller as well 40 as the material adhering-to the discharge roller- .by a sweeping and planing action and of'detaching 'and ejecting the same. v

In a preferred form of construction of the invention the longitudinal ribs of the strew- 5 ing. or distributing roller aredistinguished byjserrated outer edges, the indentations of edges bein in'gly. arranged, .i desired, for increasing the' i 4co'mminuting action. B the combination of v means .-accordin vto th1s` invention an 'ex- `tren'iely line an substantially uniform distribution of all kinds of fertilizing material and of Amanure is produced.

f The inventlon will bemore specifically de- 55- scribedwith reference to the accompanying drawing,l showing by way of eXemplica-,-

alternatingly or stagger-l discharge tion an embodiment of the principles of the invention in Figure 1, in transverse section.

Figure2 shows a detail in elevation representing a particular formation of the longitudinal ribs of the -strewing or distributing roller. Figure 3 shows in a conventional manner the lower portion of a machine of the kind referred to in a somewhat modied construction.

Below the ordinarily substantially longitudinal opening `of the downwardly tapering hopper a Ythe discharging roller b is varranged adapted to cooperate with the coimterroller c and inarallel'spaced relation thereto. The axial distance of these two rollersn is adjustable by mountinv the bearings of the counterrollei; c on slides or tension rods d which are connected to the preferably elbow-shaped rockably mounted i adjustingl 'lever h, f which is fulcrumedron the shaft e. The slides or bars d are, moreover, influenced bythe spring g in engagement therewith.

Below the counterroller c the strewing or distributing roller k is disposed which 1s provided with longitudinal ribs or projections Z extending in a parallel direction or at an inclination to the axis. vThe\arrange ment of the distributing roller 7c, as appears from the drawing is such that it is mounted at a somewhat lower level than the discharging roller b, the ribs being so arranged that their outer edges extend up to the periphery of the dischargingroller b. These outeiedges are serrated, as shown in Figure 2, and

ythe teeth or gaps of the teeth are preferably alternatingly or staggeringly arranged with relation to each other. Underneath the nib of the strewing and discherging` rollers `a preferably substantially trough-shaped shield acting as a wi er or scraper i is mounted ada` ted to gui e the material in its descent.

T e fertilizing material contained in the hopper or receptacle ais carried along in the direction 'of t e-arrow` (Figure 1') by the roller b, slowly rotating with, say, -about one revolution a minute and at the point of loc discharge it is seized'by-the counterroller c and may be crushed between therollers. The counterroller c may betadjusted by the hand lever h, so as to vary itsdistance from the -roller b in accordance with the nature of the'fertilizing material. Moreover, the arrangement is such that the 'roller c by the action of the\ ring .g 'which bears n. against the bearingsro the member may automatically itself towards or away fifi from the discharge roller b during the oper@ atioii, and independently on any prel1m1 nary adj ustiiicnt. In view thereof, the counterroller c is adapted to spring actingly yield on its bearings in one or both directions.

Whenever required, as is for instance the case with material of lumpy condition. Such aggloiiieratcal poi-tions of the fertilizing material :irc crushed likewise between the roll- `ers in the discharging operation.

The ejected icrtilizing material dropsonto the longitudinal or inclined or lielically or otherwise suitably arranged ribs Z ofthe sti-cwiiig or distributing roller 7:. Inasiiiuchdition. With this end in view the particular arrangement of the lstrewing or distributing roller shown in the drawings is of importance. In the case of fertilizer of moist` sticky or similar nature the material is liable to adhere at its escape more or less to the periphery of the discharging roller. In this case by the rapid sweeping movement oi the outer edges ot the longitudinal ribs Z past the outer surface of the roller Y) provisionis made for the complete removal and ejection ot any adhering fertilizer. The intended fine distribution and trituration of the material is greatly assisted and increased by the serrated formation of the outer edges of the longitudinal ribs Z, the teeth being preferably alternatingly disposed. With this arrangement different portions of the serrated projections are made to engage with the surface of the discharging roller in quick succession, and alteriiatingly in the succeeding rows during the rapid rotation of the distributing i'oller Z1. which results in an excellent grinding and disintegrating action even in the case ot raking fertilizer material. The action of the teeth is somewhat similar to that of a shaping kor similar machine.

The curved or substantially trough-shaped shield el surrounding a portion of the distributing or streuing roller 7c assists in obtaining the distributing and spreading action, and is at the same time operative toy obviate any `premature escape of portions ofthe fertilizer, and causes the ejection to take place in a certain definite direction. Furthermore than that, the upper edge of the trough or shield i acts to scrape oi the discharging roller so as to complete and assist the detacliing and distributing action of the streiving or' distributing roller. The shield or trough e may be rigidly, or adjustably, or spring-actingly mounted. As herein shown. the distributing or strewing roller i Leaders lc is .completely exposed, so as to be easily accessible, and there is no likelihood of portions of material adhering and remaining on its surface. The discharging 'rollers b and c, as Well as the distributin roller k may each be made of one piece o y and may extend the full Width of the machine; or the rollers may consist of two or more sections engageable with each other along a part of their length.

The teeth illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing may be situated in the plane of the longitudinal ribs or they may be twisted more or less, so as to he inclined -with relation thereto. By this wisting arrangement the result may be obtained that the machine becomes also adapted to strew sideways, that is to say, it will cover va surface with fer tilizer in excess of its track width. Directly underneath the point of cooperation of the discharging roller with the counterroller c ineens may be provided to act as scraping or wiping agents, and shown, for instancetat t in Figure 3 of the drawing.

In this Figure 3 somewhat modified construction is shown of the discharging end of the machine. In this modification the scraper t above referred to, and disposed underneath the nib or the cooperating point lof the roller b and c is engageable with the discharging roller b. It may comprise a narrow strip of sheet iron or a wire in engagement with the discharging roller for its Whole length. This scraper is operative to cause the bulk of the fertilizer to become detached from the discharging roller b and to be dropped therefrom at the proper time.

The longitudinalV comminuting ribs Z of the strewing roller lo in this modification may be inclined relatively to the radius by an angle a, so as to be inclined in the direction of movement. edges of these longitudinal ribs Z may be sharpened, these arrangements accomplishing the novel result that the tertilizing material dropped onto the shield or trough 2' is carried away with a cutting action, so that the material is not only subject to a pushing 'movement, as set forth with reference to Figure 1, but to an additional slicing or cutting action as well with the advantage of Moreover, the outer.

preventing particularly sticking and adhering fertilizer from becoming deposited on the trough Such fertilizer is-completely removed without residue by the longitudinal ribs Z by a kind of planing or shaping action. and in this modification likewise the -outer edges of the longitudinal ribs Z may be alternatingly oi' staggeringly indented, as shown in Figure 2 oi the drawing.

The escape oi the fertilizing material from between` the shield and the rollers is furthermore greatly facilitated by suitable knocking and shaking means, shown by Way of example in Figure 2and comprising an -only modifications to which'the invention is susceptible,.but various other alterations and `elbow lever p, 1' with akind of actionvv the legs p and r' of which are rigidly connected to each other and fulcrumed at the point .o on a stationary stub.v

` By this meansthe elbow lever p, '1' is oscillatedand lthe spring s is charged. At the moment in which the-.lug becomes freeof `the levenp and releases t e same the lever p under the injiuence of the spring c is rapidly pulled ba`ck,.causing the knocker 'v at the end of the lever to' strike against the underside of the shield or trough `Zwhich is thereby violentlyvibrated, thereby avoiding the possibility of sticky portions of the fertilizer becoming attached to the shield or trough zi.. It is obvious" that na variety vof knocking; levers 'r -m'ay bep'rovidedbelow the trough thenumber` of which may be governed by the length of the shield z. A

- series of knocking levers r may be operated by a single lever p or by a singlecam or. lug n en it is desired to disengage the ock r itis only necessary to disengage the hook-shaped end of the lever p from the` spring s o r to detach 'the spring s. The ten' sion of said spring maybe adjustable. It should be understood that these are not the modifications may suggest themselves to the f diameted at theo of rotatable delivery and ejecting Almeansv expert in accordance with varying conditions of application and-the nature of the product and without deviating from the spirit and scope of the' invention as' vhereinafter defined in the appended ,claimsf 1. In a fertilizerv strewing machine and the like the combination with a container anda pair of spacedly-disposed, parallel, rotatable feeding and crushing rollers orfl different n 'bottom of the container,

below the axial plane of the rollers andopposite the space between the same, and a shield adjacently"surrounding part of 'the bottom portion of the. delivery and ejecting means and extending within close proximity of the largerrotatable feeding and crushing roller.

2. In a fertilizer strewing machine and the like, a downwardly open feeding container,

a rotatable crushing roller of relatively large diameter closing part of the open bottom of the container, a crushing roller of relatively small diameter at-said open bottom andin spaced', parallel relation to the upper half of the roller of larger diameter, a rotatable deliveryand ejecting roller below the axial l plane of the crushing rollers and below the crushing roller of smaller diameter and substantially opposite the space .between ,the crushing rollers, a' lurality of relatively angularly and Vaxialy disposed longitudi-- nally and alternatingly serrated peripheral projections on said delivery roller, and a`.

guiding shield surrounding part of the bottom portion of the elivery roller adjacent the serrated projections and extending within close proximity Aofthe crushing roller of large diameter. A

3. In a device of the character described, a delivery roller, a lurality of axially sol extending, spaced para el lengthwise alternatingly serrated projecting ribs on said roll-l er, co-directionally -inclined from the radial direction, and loosening and guiding means for the material below said roller and cooperating therewith.

.4. In a device ofthe kind described, -a`

delivery roller, a plurality of substantially' lengthwise serrated -rows of 'projections on I said roller, a guide'shield, closely adjacent said projections and surrounding part of the delivery roller, a rockingly disposed knocker cooperated with said shield and `adapted to vibrate the` sheld,.and means on the roller for operating said knocker.

5. In a.. device of the kind described, a.A delivery roller, a lurality of substantially lengthwise serrato said roller, a guide` shield, closely adjacent said projections and spacedly surrounding rows of projections on art` of thev lower portion of the roller'. a

ocker, cooperating with the shield vand adapted to vibrate said-shield upon the engagement therewith. -a spring means for operating saidvknocker, andA means on the roller operatively en,.1gageablewith the lever for vibrating said shield.V

6. In a device of the uo" kind described, a

rotatablerollen a plurality of substantially 'I lengthwise vand alternatingly 'serrated pro- ,l

jecting ribs'on said rol1er,'peripherall'y inclined from the radial direction, a guide shield, closely adjacent said serrated ribs, a substantially` bell-crank shaped knocker en gageable with the shieldand adapted tovibrate said shield upon the engagement' th'erewith, and means Von the roller operatively engageable with the knocker Vupon the rotation of the roller. Y

AUGUST Koen. j y 

